Speed change transmission



NOV. 17, 1953 p Mc RE 2,659,245

' I SPEED CHANGE TRANSMISSION Filed Aug. 4, 1951 v s Sheets-Sheet 1 f I2 INVENTOR.

Pe-ra'a 0. McLAREmDEcEAsED, 'TuiHAuovzn' BANK |FORMERLY" CENTRAL HANOVER BANK AND TRus'r Ca, AND HARR'v E. HANSENIE xzcu-raks ATTORNEYS Nov. 17, 1953 P.-J. M LAREN SPEED CHANGE TRANSMISSION 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 4, 1951 INVENTOR. PETERJ. MC LAREN,DECEA5EO THE HANOVER BANK. FORMER! C E. m-mv. HAN oven; BANK ANOTRUST C o. ANDHARRY E. HANSEN, zxecu'roas 5y M um 7" ATTORNEYS Nov. 17, 1953 P. J. M LAREN 45 SPEED CHANGE TRANSMISSIQN Filed Aug. 4, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.4

INVEN TOR. Fez-r: p. J.N \c LARENIDECEASED THE HANOVE R BANK FOR ME 2 LY C ENT :2 AL HAuoveR BANK AND TRU s-r Co., A ND HARnv E. Hauszmsxeco-rons 5) new M M9 Nov. 17, 1953 P. J. MCLAREN I SPEED CHANGE TRANSMISSION Filed Aug. 4, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. pE-r an J.Mc LAazupzczAs'g'o THE HANovzR BANK Four mam CENTRAL HANOVER 5AM. AND-TRUST Co., AND HARRY E .HAuseu zxecu-roq A TTORNEY 17, 1953 T P. J. MCLAREN 2,6 9 245 v SPEED CHANGE TRANSMISSION Filed Aug. 4, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.6.

INVEN TOR.

A T TORNE Y5 Patented Nov. 17, 1953 2,659,245 seem) CHANGE TRANSMISSION Peter J. .McLaren, deceased, late of New .York, N. -Y.', byThe Hanover Bank, formerly' Central Hanover Bank'and Trust Company, corporate executor, New York, N. Y., and Harry E. Hansen, 'c'oexecutor, assignors to The W. L. Ma'xson Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of NewYork hpplication august 4, 1951, SerialNo.,240,3Q,2

The present invention relatestoaspeed change transmission, and'jmorle particularly tofan infinitely variable transmission of the type having driving and driventlfaction cones, atleast one of which is of varying diarneter, and a power transfer ring arranged between said cones and movable therealong to c ange the effective drive ratio therebetween,

A primary object of the invention is to provide a new and improved speed adjusting device for an infinitely variable transmission of the general type reierredto.

To this end theoverlapped and opposedcones are mounted upon parallel axes, are formed with straight generatrices', and 'are' of equal slope so that a straightparallelsidedring space is defined between thein,'and the interposedring is shaped to fit into said space. The drive ratioadjusting means is made to comprise a ring guide'engageable with, the inner and outer faces of. the ring at one side of the common plane of the cone axes and is shiftable to tilt the ring in the plane of theringf Whenever the drive ,ratio is maintained uniform the center' of' the ring lies s'usbtantially'in the common plane of the cone axes. since the cones are engaged by the ring only along 'a line which connects the cone axes, the directionof feed of the ring'is at right angles to the ring radius which'e'ngag'esthe cones so long as the center of the ring lies in th common plane of the cone axes.

Under these conditions no drive component is imparted to the ring tending to displace it radially of theconesl When the guide is shifted to tilt the ring center away fromthe common plane of the cone axes 'thdirection of feed becomes obliqueto the engaged radius of the ring, and a feed component in one direction or the other radially of' the conesis impa rted to the ring depending upon the direction of thetilting. In either case thebodily shifting of thering which results is in a direction to swing the ring center back into the. common planeof the cone axes, and whenthat. has been 'achieved new constant drive ratio is automatically estab ed consistent.withlrthefhew,position ofthe g c;

It is an important featureoftheinventio that the ring is. guided and..controlled solely.bythe cones in cooperation with (a short tilting; guide which engages the ringfor a shortfdistanc 11y vat one sideof the commonplaneofthfe gone xes.

n c r; n hat tiltm'g'guides ofthe .8 Claims. (01. 74- 90) kind referred to are provided for all of the rings, together with means foroperatingfthe guides simultaneously and identically to bring about concurrent and coordinate' adjustment of the drive ratios of the several cone couples.

It is a 'furtherfeaturethat each of the shafts has a pair of cones mounted upon it for rotation in unison, one of thepairs of cones extending between and being flanked by the cones of the other pair, the cones of the firs't pair being mounted with freedom-for axial movement and being urged apart by spring means'to bear with equal and predetremined forcethrough the associated rings against the flanking cones. This arrangement also has the advantageof providing a structure ofextreme simplicity andone-in which end thrusts are balanced.

It is a further object to provide a novel drive for assuring bi-directional output from uni-directional input. To this end it is a feature that two cone driven shafts are provided, together with common control means adapted to adjust the drives to the two sha 'ftsbppositely so that the speed of one'isdiminishe'd as the other is increased, and means "for difierently combining the spedsof said shafts.

Various other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be" apparent from the following particular description. andfrom an inspection of the accompanying drawings, in which: '5

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a variable speed unidirectional transmission mechanism embodying the present invention.

Fig.2 is a section of the variable speed transmission mechanism of Fig. 1 taken on line 2 -2 ofFig.1;"

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are successive operating views on a smallerscalefithanl l figs. land 2, showing successive po'itions' assumed by the part in effecting achange of drive ratio;

Fig.1) is a sectional detail view taken on the line 8- -6 of Fig'. '2,'-10 oking inthefdirection of thearrows; i v I Fig. 7 is a view in transverse sectional elevation of abi directional drive mechanism embodying the invention, thesectionbeingtaken on the line 7{ of Fig.6, looking in the direction of the Fig. dis a View in side elevation of the bidirectional drive of Figi7. "1

Referri l'gto Figs. '1 to 6, the unidirectional which access" to the "interior "oi "said easing is prises a drive shaft 28 shown mounted at one end in suitable bearings 2| in the cover I i, and shown mounted at a section spaced from said end in suitable bearings 22 in a wall 23 of said casing opposite said cover. The shaft 213 extends through the casing wall 23 to receive the power input.

The driving cone assembly 12 also comprises a traction cone 26 desirably formed integral with the shaft 28 and a separate traction cone 27, secured to said shaft for rotation therewith and for sliding movement therealong, by means of a key 21k which is received in a groove 27y of the cone 21 and in a groove 212 of the shaft. The cone 2? bears against a shoulder 27d of the shaft. A nut 31 bears against the cone 2? through a lock. washer 33, the nut being screwed onto a threaded portion Zle of the shaft. The Washer 33 has an internal tooth 2i lodged in the groove 27.2 to hold the washer against turning relative to the shaft. After the nut 31 is turned home, an ear 33s: on the washer is folded down to lie in a notch 2171 of the nut 3! to prevent turning of the nut relative to the shaft. The driving cone 25 has an axially facing shoulder 30 abutting the bearing unit 2|, to limit the axial movement of the shaft 20 in one direction.

The driven cone traction assembly l3 comprises a driven shaft to mounted at one end in suitable bearings M in the casing wall 23, and mounted at a section spaced from said end in suitable bearings 42 in the cover l. The driven shaft 4c is parallel to and above the driving shaft 20, and extends through the cover H for output power take-off.

The driven cone traction assembly is also comprises two driven traction cones 43 and 4-, splined to the shaft 48 for rotation therewith and for sliding movement therealong. Two Belleville spring plates 45 and 41 loosely confined at their outer peripheries by flanges 48 on the respective traction cones 43 and 44, abut at their inner peripheries, and function normally to exert forces axially outwardly in opposite directions on said discs.

The two driven traction cones 43 and 44 extend downwardly between the two driving traction cones 26 and 21 to a region near the driving shaft 20, and have respective outer convex conical traction surfaces 5! of wide angle. The two driving traction cones 26 and 21 have respective inner facing traction surfaces 52 of wide-angled convex conicity complementing that of the respective traction surfaces 5| of the traction discs 3 and 44, so that in the common plane of the axes of the two shafts 20 and Ail, the generating elements of said surfaces 51 and 52 will be parallel.

The power transfer elements M in the form of axially aligned circular rings, are made desirably of metal, and are preformed in conical shape to conform with the conicity of the traction surfaces 5| and 52, as shown in Fig. 1, between which these elements are interposed. These power transfer rings M encircle the driven shaft 48, and extend in planes substantially at right angles to the axis of said shaft. During normal running operations, the power transfer rings M are located in diametrical alignment with the plane passing through the axes of the shafts 2B and 49, and through the lines of engagement 4 of said rings with the cones 25, 27, 43 and 46, as shown in Fig. 2.

The speed ratio between the driving and driven assemblies l2 and it of the transmission may be changed by moving the power transfer rings it along the traction surfaces of the two sets of rings 25, 2'! and 43, 4G, to change the effective diametrical ratio between these two assemblies. The speed adjusting device for this purpose comprises a shaft 60 journalled in the casing cover l and the casing wall 23, and having an end section 6i extending to the outside of the casing Ii} to receive a suitable adjusting handle (not shown). The shaft is shouldered to bear against the casing 23 at one end. A collar 65 fast on the shaft bears against the cover H to restrain the shaft against axial movement. Secured to the shaft 58 in the inside of the casing is are two similar arms 62 pivotally carrying near their outer ends respective short bearing guides ts for respective power transfer rings 14. These guides 54 are connected to the outer ends of the respective arms 62 by means of pivot screws 66, each of which has a smooth shank portion passing through the respective arm with a rotative fit. and a threaded end portion screwed into the associated guide. The guides E i are formed with respective arcuate slots 6'! receiving respective rings Hi with a slide fit, so that these guides serve not only as supports, guides and slide bearings for the rings during normal running opera tions, but also as means by which these rings may be tilted for speed ratio adjustments.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the rings M are positioned for constant maximum output speed, and the directions of rotation of the different parts are as indicated. When, for example, it is desired to reduce the output speed to the minimum without changing the input speed, the shaft 63 is turned counterclockwise (Fig. 4), and the rings by means of the arms 62, and the guides 64 are tipped or tilted edge wise in a clockwise direction about regions near the lines of engagement between said rings and the traction surfaces 51 and 52. This shifts the ring center C to the right of the common plane of the cone axes as shown in Fig. 4, causing the cone-engaged diameter of each ring to extend downward toward the left. Thisinduces the cones to feed the rings downward. Since one point in the path of each ring must coincide with the new position of the axis of pivot screw 68, this pushing downward of the rings produces a counterclockwise turning of the rings about the common axis of pivot screws 66 until the centers of the rings have been returned to the common axial plane of the shafts 2i; and 46, as shown in Fig. 5. When this occurs there is no longer any component tending to feed the rings up or down. A new drive ratio is, therefore, stably maintained, characteristic of the new positions of the guide blocks 64,

In Fig. 4 the arm 62 is shown as already swung to the final position characteristic of the minimum output speed although the ring has only been shifted down about half way. In actual practice the operation of the shaft 60 would be smooth and gradual, and not jerky or sudden as suggested by-Fig. 4. The shifting of the ring would follow up the gradual Shifting of shaft 63, and the center of the ring would never be as far off the line of centers of the shafts as shown in Fig. 4.

It is an important point that the ring guides engage the rings as the rings approach engagement with the cones, and in each instance within 'a quadrant of the point of cone engagement. This is anessentialrelationship. The rings will not 'be properly guided'and controlled unless the guides are located in the lead-in quadrant of the ring.

In the assembling of the transmission, with the driven traction discs E3 and M on the driven Shaft 40, the driving tractiondi-sc it! on the-driving shaft 20 and the power'transfer rings 14 and IS in position, the nut "3-! is turned on the threaded portion 2 le of said driving shaft 20. Since the driving disc "26 is held against axial movement inone direction by the engagement of the shoulder with the bearing unit 2-1, and-since the'driven discs 43 and are-sli'dable along the driven shaft -40, the "tightening of 'the nut -3l causes these discsto be pressed against the power transfer rings M and 15, "and the spring plates 46 and-"41 to-be pressed at their inner peripheries. These spring plates 46 and "41 will'thereby apply outward axial spring pressure against'the driven discs 4-3 and, so-that the power transfer rings l4 and I5 will be'frictionally gripped by the traction discs 2%, 21,43 and 44 under resilient pressure. The extent of this pressure is determined bythe position of the nut 3| which can be'locked in this position by the washer32.

The power transfer rings l4 and l5have slight transverse flexibility, so that they will flex into conforming engagement withthetraction surfaces 5| and 52- ofthe discs in case of slight irregularities.

In Figs. 7 and 8 disclosure-is made of a drive mechanism employing the principle'of thestructure disclosed in Figstl tot, but adapted to secure an infinitely variablebi directional' output from a unidirectional input.

In Figs. 7 and 8 an'input shaft 204; may be operated at constant speed in a fixed direction, as indicated by the arrow. The shaft 26a has secured upon it a cone traction assembly I 2a which may advantageously be in all respects identical with the cone traction assembly :2 of Figs. 1 and 2. The assembly I Za-acts through rings Mb and a traction cone assembly [3b to transmit motion to-a driven shaft 46b at variable speed but in adirection opposite to'the direction of rotation of the shaft 20a. The cone assembly l3b, the rings [4b and the 'shaft' ltlb may all advantageously *be "identical, respectively, with the cone assembly l3, therings l4 and'the shaft lfl of'Figs. 1 and'2.

The cone assembly In also acts through rings M0 and a cone assembly I3c to'drive ashaft We at variable speed, but in the direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the shaft 20a. The rings Me, the cone assembly 'I30, and the shaft 400 may all advantageously be identical, respectively, with the rings [4, the cone assembly i3,and the shaft 40.0f Figs. 1 and 2. 7

It will be observed that theshafts 40b and 400 always run inthesame direction. They are, howe ever, driven through different trains and may be adjusted to run at different speeds.

A speed adjusting device 161) for shaft Mbv is desirably identical with the speed adjusting device It for the shaft ofiFigs. 1 and 2. Corresponding reference numerals have, therefore, been applied to .corresponding parts'with the subscript b added in each-instance. A speed adjustingdevice 160 for the shaft 400 is desirably identicalwith'thespeed adjusting device l6 for-the shaft lfl of "Figs-'1 and '2. fCorrespondmg -reference characters=-have accordingly been 6 applied to corresponding parts with the subscript c added in each instance.

The adjusting devices are interconnected in such a manner as to compelthe drive ratio to the shaft 40b to be increased as the drive ratio to the shaft lflcisdiminished, and the-drive ratio to the shaft =4Ub to be diminished as the drive ratio to the shaft 400 is increased.

The arms 621) which carry the guide blocks 64b are secured upon the shaft '60?) to extend downward and to the left, while the arms 620 which carry the guide blocks 640 are secured upon the shaft tflcto extend upward and to the right. A crank arm 10b is secured upon the shaft 60b, and, as shown Fig. 7,-it extends to the right from the shaft 6012. A similar crank arm me is secured upon the shaft'fiflc substantially at right-angles to the arm 62c and, as shown in Fig. 7, it extends toward the left-from the shaft 600. A link H is pivotally-connected'at its opposite ends to the respective crank arms 10band 100 to compel the crank arms 62b and 620 to be operated simultaneously and coordinately.

As shown in Fig. 7,-the rings [4b are in their uppermost positions to produce the maximum output rate of the shaft 40b. The rings l=4c,are also shown in their-uppermostpositionsto produce the minimum output rate of shaft 400. Rotation of the shaft 600 in a clockwise direction will shift the guide blocks'64c toward the common axial plane of the shafts "20a and 40:0, and will induce a feeding downward of the rings Me to increase the rate of output, of thesh aft 460. Such movement of the shaft 600 will produce an upward thrust of thelink H tocause the shaft 6% to be "turned counterclockwise. Such turning of the shaft 60b will swing the guide block 6% further awayfrom the common axial plane of the shafts .40b andgzfla, and will induce the rings [4b to be fed downward .to diminish'the output rate of the shaft40b.

In the midway position of the link l'l the rings [4b and I40 willproduce identical output rates of the shafts 40b and "400, these rates coinciding with the input rate of the shaft j2l1a.

The outputs of the shafts'dllb and .400 are combined through adifferentialgear'll to produce bi-directional .output of .a comon output ,shaft'lj3.

The shaft-60c has fast upon it-agear 14,,which drives a gear fast onanintermediateshaft it. The intermediate gear in turn drives, ,a gear 71 which is secured'bya setscrew '18 upon the hub '19 of a bevel gear 80. ,The bevel gear Bil constitutes one of thejinput gears of the differe ential 12. The gears'MpandTl are .equalggears; and hence the input gear 8B of .the differential 12 is compelledat all times, to turn in the same direction as the shaft 490 and at the same rotary speed as the shaft Etc.

The shaft 4% has fast upon it a gear .3! which drives an equal gear, 82. QThe gear '82 is secured by a set screw 83 upon the hubjil lof a,be,v,eljg,ear' 85 which constitutesthe second input gearnof the differential l2. sincevthe. gearsBl, and .32 are equal gears andvlmesh directly with 'one.;an other, the bevel gear 85 willqalways be .drivenat the'rotary speed of theshaftllllb but in the op; posite direction fromnthat.jin which-Hthe shaft 49b turns.

The bevel gears and areidentical gears. They are coaxially mounted upon ...the.shaft 13; each with freedomior ,lrotation .relatiyeao the shaftj'l3. .TheshaJftli-hasifixed upon ilk-a. block 86 which. carries j aligned, stub. [shafts .131 On each' stub shaft 81there. are successively mounted a washer 88, a bevel gear 89 having a hub 90, and a collar 91. The collar BI is secured to the shaft 81 by a pin 92. The bevel gears 89 are rotatable about the common axis of the stub shafts 81, and mesh with the bevel gears 86 and 85, the arrangement and operation being that of the well understood, conventional bevel 7 gear differential.

Since the shafts 40b and 400 always turn in the same direction, but have their rotations transmitted with opposite effect to the bevel gears 80 and 85, it is evident that when the speeds of the shafts 48b and 400 are equal, the output to the shaft i3 will be zero. When the shaft 450 travels faster than the shaft 481), the output to the shaft 13 will be in the direction of th shaft Etc, and will be equal to one-half the difference of speeds of the shafts 40c and 49b. When the speed of the shaft 600 is less than that of the shaft 4%, the output to the shaft 13 will be in the direction opposite to that in which the shaft 400 turns, and will again be equal to one-half the difference of the speeds of the shafts ific and 402). Since the speeds of the shafts 48b and 4230 are capable of infinite variation and are reciprocally controlled, it is evident that an infinitely variable output speed, within limits, of the shaft 73 can be obtained in either direction, simply by adjustment of the common speed adjusting means. An operatin handle, not shown, may be provided on either the shaft 561) or the shaft 60c.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to a specific embodiment, it is to be understood that it is not to be limited thereto, but is to be construed broadly and restricted solely by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An infinitely variable speed change transmission comprising a driving cone, a driven cone mounted with its axis parallel to the axis of said driving cone, a power transfer ring between said cones and having its sides in frictional, drivetransmitting engagement therewith, and means engaged with the inner and outer faces of a limited sector of the ring and movable in the plane of the ring and transversely of the common plane of the cone axes for tilting said ring in its own plane to induce the ring to be fed by the cones to a new position radially of the cones, and thereby to change the speed ratio between said cones.

2. An infinitely variable speed change transmission comprising a driving cone, a driven cone mounted with its axis parallel to the axis of the driving cone, a power transfer ring between said cones and having its sides in frictional, drivetransmitting engagement therewith, and its center normally in the common plane of the cone axes, a short ring guide engageable with the inner and outer faces of the ring in a single limited sector atone side of the common plane of the cones axes, and means for shifting the guide to tilt the center of the ring out of the common plane of the cone axes to induce the ring to be fed by the cones to a new position consistent with the changed position of the guide and in which the center of the ring is restored to the common plane of the cone axes, the ring being thereby shifted radially of the cones to change the speed ratio of the cones.

3. An infinitely variable speed change transmission comprising a driving cone, a driven cone mounted with its axis parallel to the axis of the driving cone, a power transfer ring between said cones and having its sides in frictional, drive transmitting engagement therewith and its cen ter normally in the common plane of the cone axes, and means engaged with inner and outer faces of a limited sector of the ring and operable to tilt the ring in its own plane in a direction to carry its center away from the common plane of the cone axes, thereby to induce the cones to feed the ring to a new position radially of the cones to change the speed ratio of th cones.

4. An infinitely variable speed change transmission comprising a driving cone, a driven cone mounted with its axis parallel to the axis of the driving cone, a power transfer ring between said cones and having its sides in frictional, drivetransmitting engagement therewith and its center normally in the common plane of the cone axes, and means for tilting the ring in a direction to carry its center out of the common plane of the cone axes, thereby to induce the cones to feed the ring to a new position radially of the cones to change the speed ratio of the cones, said ring tilting means comprising an arm movable in a plane at right angles to the cone axes, and a ring guide pivoted on the arm, said guide formed with an arcuate channel engageable with the inner and outer faces of the ring and of substantial depth to accommodate axial movement of the ring which occurs as an incident of the radial movement thereof.

5. An infinitely variable speed change transmission comprising a plurality of driving cones, a plurality of coaxial driven cones, the driving and driven cones being mounted to provide confronting cone faces and having their axes-disposed in parallel relation, power transfer rings disposed between the respective confronting pairs of cones and having their sides in frictional, drive-transmitting engagement therewith, eac ring normally having its center disposed in the common plane of the axes of the driving and driven cones engaged by it, and means for simultaneously tilting the centers of the rings away from said normal positions, to induce the rings to be fed by the cones concurrently and coordinately to new positions radially of the cones, thereby to change the speed ratio between the confronting pairs of driving and driven cones identically, said tilting means comprising single guides each engageable with inner and outer face portions of the respective rings through a short segment only, a common actuator, and connections for causing the actuator to operate the guides coordinately.

6. An infinitely variable speed transmission comprising a driving cone, a driven cone mounted with its axis parallel to the axis of said driving cone, a power transfer ring between said cones and having its sides in frictional, drive transmitting engagementtherewith, and means engageable with the inner and outer faces of the ring as the ring approaches engagement with th cones and within a quadrant of the point at which said cone engagement occurs, and morable the plane of the ring for tilting the ring in its own plane to induce the ring to be fed by the cones to a new position radially of the cone, thereby to change the speed ratio between the cones.

'7. An infinitely variable speed transmission for securing lei-directional output from unidirectional input comprising, in combination, a d1iving shaft, a first driven shaft, a first cone and ring combination for driving the first driven shaft from the driving shaft, asecond driven shaft;

a second cone and ring combination for driving the second driven shaft from the driving shaft, means for differentially combining the outputs of said shafts, and a common control for the rings of said first and second cone and ring combinations to change their drive ratios oppositely, comprising ring guides engageable with the leading quadrants of the respective rings, operating shafts for the respective guides, and means interconnecting the shafts to compel one guide to move toward and from the axis of the driven shaft associated with it.

8. An infinitely variable speed transmission for securing bi-directional output from unidirectional input comprising, in combination, a driving shaft, a first driven shaft, a first cone and ring combination for driving the first driven shaft from the driving shaft, a second driven shaft, a second cone and ring combination for driving the second driven shaft from the driving shaft, the rings having their sides engaged creased, comprising ring tilting guides for tilting the respective rings in their own planes and a connection between said guides for compelling a drive ratio increasing tilt of one guide and a drive ratio decreasing tilt of the other guide to occur simultaneously, and means for differentially combining the outputs of the two driven shafts.

THE HANOVER BANK (Formerly Central Hanover Bank and Trust Company), Corporate executor of the estate of Peter J.

M cLaren, deceased, By ROBERT M. LOVELL,

Vice President.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,089,295 Pollard Aug. 10, 1937 2,151,042 McGrath Mar. 21, 1939 2,233,967 Wellton Mar. 4, 1941 2,593,510 Wildhaber Apr. 22, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 43,689 Austria Aug. 25, 1910 706,329 Germany May 23, 1941 

